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The City of Regina’s services could soon be under a microscope – the city’s Executive Committee voted Wednesday morning to pass a proposal to create a Recovery and Efficiency Review Program.
An efficiency review was part of Sandra Masters’ mayoral election campaign, with a promise to find 15 per cent in savings.
The first phase of the program, as recommended in city administration’s report, would find ways to “improve or adapt” six to eight city services that would be reviewed by a third-party consultant.
That consultant would look into those services, as directed by City Council, and come back with a report and recommendations by the end of the year.
“I think it will be immeasurably valuable, not just for council but for administration and, actually, align us much better in terms of proceeding with some of our priorities,” said Masters at the meeting.
“(Coming back with recommendations) would be the best way to kind of approach this, to come out of COVID-19 at the end of 2021 really with our feet firmly planted on how to leap forward, grow our economy, as well as the social conditions within the city.”
Regina’s city administration has been working on efficiencies for years, though the last time an outside party was brought in for a review was 2004.
City Manager Chris Holden pointed out the city has been able to find $20 million in savings over the last four years. But Holden supported someone from outside coming in. He said it would be an opportunity to “affirm and confirm” what they’ve been doing, and maybe take it to the next level.
Holden said, in recent efficiencies, there hasn’t been much of an effect on front-line staff, and when staffing is affected they prefer to deal with it through attrition.
Nearly all the councillors present at the meeting were in favour of the program except Councillor Dan Leblanc.
LeBlanc said his concerns have to do with a distrust of the word efficiency.
“In common parlance, what efficiency means is finding ways to do less with less on the whole, rather than ways to do more with the same amount of money. To me this is the first step down a path where we look at reducing service levels at a time when people are hurting and rely upon our services levels,” said LeBlanc.
The proposal passed Executive Council but will still need to be passed by City Council next Wednesday.
If passed next week, the city would then put out a request for proposals from consultants and once hired, the consultant would be expected to bring a report back before the end of 2021.
“It is expected that a comprehensive plan or road map will be developed to guide mid to long-term opportunities which includes ensuring services are reviewed at regular intervals,” explained the administration’s report.
It’s recommended up to $250,000 be approved for the consultant.
The economy is in a difficult situation right now, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, but Holden said this is good timing.
“The timing is right to undertake a review of city services to ensure that we’re able to move beyond continuous improvement opportunities and respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and focus on the priorities of council,” said Holden.
The report also recommends that a “Recovery and Efficiency Task Force” be established to engage with community leaders and advise council on COVID-19 recovery efforts.
